The reason for all the discussion of standards and similar concepts over the last few decades is not due to an effort to improve the process but is a result of a lack of consistency and predictability of the processes. Going to waterless and digital printing was also related to trying to avoid this same existing problems.
[SNIP]
I am not particularly respected in the industry but have been saying much the same for many years. The difference from my views and Mr. Romano's is that mine tend to come from a more theoretical view of the problems while his are more related to years of experience. The other difference is that Mr. Romano is ranting about the problem but seems to have little idea of how to fix these problems but on the other hand my understanding is directly related to developing solutions.
Anyhow, it is good that he has made this rant and it is available on the following site.
The myths of modern prepress
The problem will get fixed when there is more profit in fixing the initial problem than in fixing the consequences of the problem. (Dentistry is a good example of this).
[P]rint buyers started demanding that printers adhere to method (A), they prefer predicable “mediocrity” over “we can in theory do better, but in practice we have no process control and are inconsistent”.
In addition to printers turning their craft into a commodity based on price, now print buyers are also wishing a commodity product, based on consistent results and price.
Stephen Marsh
[SNIP]
Yes, we can have viewing booths and everything else that can make a "system"... but if there is a single deviation from the system such as a request of "I'd like it a little hotter in the red"... the concept of "system" goes right out the window.
I have seen far too many instances in many shops where "hitting the numbers" produced a substandard product, and a creative and experienced team of pressmen and prepress folk produced a minor miracle by disregarding the exact numbers.
It is VERY apparent that color analysis does not lead to "good color"... there is no linear relationship. (After all, we still know so little about how each person perceives color: but we do know when a nut does not thread onto a bolt.)
I suppose I could summarize it simply: quantification of quality must be in units that mean something intrinsic to the suitability of the end product, not in theoretical units that are of secondary or lower importance. (As a boss of mine used to say: "We sell the picture, not the color bar.") Unfortunately, in the printing trade we are unable to quantify "good face colour"; we can only measure (so it seems) the paper that must be cast into the wastebin.
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